Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts

life itself









 "A person should live in a way they love, they should love the way they live, they should always keep their eyes open, they should travel earnestly, ridiculously, spontaneously and copiously, they should use their hands as well as their hearts, they should smile easily and laugh often."  Hannah Rose Yee
For more on how & why one store, one concept, one lifestyle brought much brightness to our eyes and souls last Friday morning go visit Hannahs blog for the full recount of our Girl and Graaf experience. Concept store // 189 Bondi Rd, Bondi


Photos: Rachel Kara


Eclectic metals


London calls to the smell of red brick, London parks with crocuses and nettles and the salty smell of the Thames at Dagenham.

Orientalist captures the faint memory of an Indian wedding with rose petal garlands, giant cinnamon sticks on beach stalls and the musky smells of the Chinese herbal market.

Royalty is a reminiscence of tea time with a pot of Earl Grey, scones, strawberry jam and the drive home in a '52 Bentley with tatty leather seats.

Silver is probably on the lesser side of my love for metals, but when associated with Early Grey, scones and a '52 Bentley I could be swayed. Either way I'll take all three.

Eclectic by Tom Dixon 

the world stops




I was starting to feel a little annoyed that Arnsdorf are having some down time whilst I'm having a manic denim meltdown because my favourite jeans in the whole wide universe that need to be replaced can't be found ANYWHERE in stock (Arnsdorf Indigo Slim Size 8... just incase). But then I remembered why and stalked some beautiful pictures of Jade (Sarita Arnott) and her baby Pavlo and all was forgiven. The world stops.

Photos: Winnie Au

something old something new

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Anyone who knows me well has probably sited that maroon journal, which rather conveniently disguises itself as an old french novel, hanging out of my bag at any given time. For the past year or so it's off white pages have seen my brains knots and tangles being scribbled across the pages in an attempt to process & remember the goings on of my life. When I spotted a cardboard box with that familiar french type "LES HISTOIRES..." on the shelf I felt like I was seeing my oldest, bestest friends twin sister who I instantly and unquestionably have a connection with. Inside the box was a wallet of the slightly manly variety but that did not matter one bit especially when it was made from tanned, sturdy-but-soft leather with hand stitching details and a button up coin pocket. After pawing at it then realising it wasn't pay day I moved on to try some Bassike chinos or Jac + Jack cashmere that caught my eye (I know what you're thinking but no they were on sale so don't count - thinking of what I save > spend), as they do, and by the time I was out of the change room and back to the counter my absolute sweetheart had bought me a gift and what do you know...that slightly manly, beautiful, brown, O-Check wallet is now mine!

Photos: Rachel Kara

go on

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I'm about to loose my shiatsu at the way that either Photoshop, Photobucket or Blogspot is messing with my nice warm contrasty images and swapping them with flat, green toned blobs of mess.

Without any further ado I will continue with the documentation of my whirlwind few NYC days, and then maybe even revisit the spectacular afternoon I spent photographing Whistler/Blackcombe peaks, I can't have walked home crying in pain because of my hypothermic toes for nothing, right?

Wait one more further ado...
ETA: I have just been given a geography lesson and learnt that Brooklyn isn't another 'suburb' as I believed it was in my head, it's actually a burrow or something like that and Williamsburg is simply within that. Perhaps when I say we went from W'burg to Brooklyn I mean Bushwick? Ugh. I don't even know but yes I feel like a dick and thought rather than retracing my words and trying to make sense I would just like to preface any geographical reference in my writings with a big clueless note to make you aware that I am aware of my shortcomings

Have I mentioned how much I loved being over the bridge away from Manhattan that Sunday? To the greater world I feel like Williamsburg & Brooklyn had either been embraced, or perhaps more so written off, as a hispsters playground (probably much like Surry Hills or Darlinghurst would be in Sydney to a lesser extent - and come on where do we all find ourselves drawn to when it's time to meet for a coffee, a drink, a stroll, a quick vintage scour?) but found all that really means is that a newer established or transformed area (thanks urban sprawl) can leave the 'cool' room to breathe and space to be discovered rather than shoved down our beady & ever hungry throats and eyes. I loved the wider streets, the slower pace at which I walked, the lack of high rise, the smaller stores. I lost that sickening feeling of over consumption that had washed over me as I walked into the department-store-sized stand alone stores of Broadway earlier that morning.

The flowers on the corners are my favourite. I would like to strike off the record that I asked if the leaves are bred to be all shades of deep purple, aqua, blue etc. Erm no Rachel, I'm pretty sure they're dyed. Right, yeah, obviously.

If it hadn't been for the few too many people in Catbird creating some bump and grind space issues I'm sure I would have spent half my day undoing each and everyone of the cabinets, taking pictures and writing my wish list. Literally though, a few people in the teeny tiny gem packed store is all it takes to make or break your viewing pleasure, but that's what I loved. Speaking of love, if my love ever happens to want to buy me a special ring I am directing him here. I did buy myself a little something which makes me happy every time I look down and see it's delicate silver, arrow self looped around my finger. I'll show you someday.
From here some time was spent browsing a store where the perfect Acne jeans are the same price as back home so put back on the shelf (sad face) and a certain casual, cotton, free spirited, Isabel Marant peasant blouse made me want to pack up and transform my whole life wardrobe. The day was just so lovely that I didn't even mind when we windled time away in a vintage mecca looking for the perfect raglan tee and came out empty handed. Don't you sometimes get genuinly upset & angsty when what you are looking for is so simple but just not presenting itself to you?

My apetite was raging a little by now so we hopped on the Subway with Hannah promising me brownstones and bagels in her part of Brooklyn before the Superbowl kicked off. The bagel place was shut which is why, when & how the above classic pizza joint presented itself as the perfect pre dinner, post shopping snack. Let me tell you, my bagel craving sadness passed pretty quickly.

I have written too much so I will not spend time closing this nicely and narratively. Until next time......


x



Photos: Rachel Kara

birthday suit

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My biological clock flips over to start my 24th year on Thursday and I haven't been particularly supportive of the retail environment lately but I broke the cycle in honour of my birthday and have bought myself a minxy little number to wear out for Friday night drinks!
I picked them up delighted to finally find a pair of summery, fresh, high waist, wide leg jeans at a bargain price - only to discover as I investigated further what looked somewhat like an extra bib of denim firmly secured to the top. Ermmm ok not quite what I had in mind (nor on my 'classics only' investment list) but before I knew it I was wiggling myself in and am now head over heels for my new, banging 70's denim halter jumpsuit. Me-ow.

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I think Wrangler has made a very well informed decision taking on Boo George as their latest asset, the last 3 campaign images gaining lots of love & attention web wide. I particularly love the choices he makes in models. How can something come across as being so deliberately orchestrated yet so organic at the same time?

Photos: Boo George

worthy

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I once read this book called The Element - How finding your passion changes everything. There's this one chapter on finding your 'tribe'...
Tribe members can be collaborators or competitors. They can share the vision or have utterly different ones. They can be of a similar age or from different generations. What connects a tribe is a common commitment to the thing they feel born to do. This can be extraordinarily liberating, especially if you've been pursuing your passion alone.

When I met Tanja, the brains AND hands behind PetiteGrand, I could immediately see she was truly living out her passion, a vision which is was so perfectly her own - she was in her 'element' if you will. (Love me a bit of book bought psychobabble talk every now & then). We were able to bond over the ups and downs of working from home - hello snuggie days in front of the heater, see ya later style & socialising - and a common aesthetic & appreciation for understated, simple, laid-back, accessible luxury.

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Having spent many an intimate hour photographing (therefore OCD obsessing over every detail of) the collection I feel like it, along with it's maker, is my friend. I fell very quickly for a certain pair of chain earrings and was so kindly given a slightly customised pair to call my own. Since I received them 3 days ago they have been worn to dinner with a dress, to work with jeans and a jumper, out dranking with my one & only LP33.3 shirt & cashmere jumper, afternoon tea in a dress, sweater & cosy coat and um awkwardly enough with my trackies as I sit here typing this. What can I say, I fall hard & fast.

You can buy online at My Chameleon or head to Incu to check out the rest of the collection in real life...watch this space. Big, bright, shiny, pretty, delicate things ahead for this label.

Photos: Rachel Kara

dowahdiddy

My pick of Australian designer Autumn/Winter 2011 collections so far.

The Alice by Arabella Ramsay
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1. Christmas sweaters and cat print leggings. What's not to love? 2. Lace, long sleeves, short hemlines and socks. Stop it.
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3. Need me some more maxi's. 4. Muted leather pieces with Arabellas signature ink print tshirts.

Conversation by Zimmermann
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Metallic 7/8's with long hair fur. Gimmegimme.
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I would pretend I was a girl and swish and swirl.
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Nude lace is nice, but I just love this photo and that green.

The Hour of Dusk by Camilla & Marc
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Powder blue coat = definition of divinity.
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I'm a boss and I don't even try.
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Every girl needs them some power shoulders.
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Mess with me and your Chinchilla will be my next collar.

The Beautiful & The Damned by Stylestalker
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F me I'm fabulous.
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Lace > skin
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Side boob and a floor sweeper.

Anything caught your eye yet?
Northern hemipshere people - what is/was your favourite piece, label, trend, activity for the snuggle season? Anything we should know about down under...cause like we're so disconnected and all.

Photos: Arabella Ramsay, Camilla & Marc, Zimmermann, Style Stalker